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Derek Brunson reacts to Elias Theodorou being released from UFC
At UFC Ottawa, in the co-main event, Derek Brunson was taking on Elias Theodorou. There, the Canadian was looking to extend his winning streak to four. Brunson, meanwhile, was looking to get back into the win column.
Ultimately, Brunson beat Theodorou in a fight not much action happened. Then, a few days went by and it was reported that Theodorou has been released from the UFC. To many it was shocking, and Brunson is one of many who were surprised by the announcement.
“It was silly but I knew it was something else,” Brunson said to MMA Fighting. “It wasn’t the way that he fought. You can’t cut a guy who’s 8-3 or whatever his record is in the UFC. He was 16-2 before he fought me and he only had two losses in the UFC and he won “The Ultimate Fighter” also. The guy he’s a good competitor.
“I think it was other stuff. I know it wasn’t just that fight. Guys have boring fights and do boring stuff all the time but it had to be some underlying issue with the UFC I’m guessing.”
Although Brunson got past Theodorou, he wasn’t pleased with his or the Canadian’s performance. He didn’t like how he fought and thinks that may have resulted in Theodorou being cut from the UFC.
“He’s a smart guy. He went out with his game plan and he fought the normal way that he always fought and he thought I was going to present the same attributes or come out the same way I did in my previous fights just really aggressive,” Brunson added. “He didn’t deviate from that game plan and I said to myself ‘you can’t keep doing the same dumb stuff over and over again’.
“I would have liked for him to stay in the middle a little bit and sit down in the pocket so I could unleash some of my new combos or some of the things that I’ve been working but he’s one of those guys who is not going to deviate from his game plan. He’s going to stick and move and try to outpoint you.”
